1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method of treating rheumatoid arthritis in mammals including humans. More specifically, the invention concerns a method of controlling the inflammatory process in a rheumatoid joint of a mammal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Belgium Pat. No. 773,027 of Mar. 24, 1972, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,630 issued Nov. 18, 1975, disclose 2,2'-anhydro-ara-cytidine compounds as useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Belgium Pat. No. 773,027 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,630 do not disclose which, if any, of the compounds are effective as an intra-articularly administered agent in controlling the inflammatory process in a rheumatoid joint.
2. Description of Additional Art
W. J. Wechter et al., ara-Cytidine Acylates, Use of Drug Design Predictors in Structure-Activity Relationship Correlation, J. Med. Chem., 18, 339 (1975) summarize studies on depot ester derivatives of the nucleoside, aracytidine, including 5'-O-benzoyl-ara-cytidine and 5'-O-palmityl-ara-cytidine. The article deals with the development of a depot form of ara-cytidine employing in vitro correlates for the design of a drug for clinical application in cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, the latter to be effective as a locally administered (intra-articular) immunosuppressive agent in rheumatoid joints.